I’ve only been to Sonoma Valley once, but I’ve eaten this Sonoma Chicken Salad a thousand times. It’s my go-to lunchbox filler and if you’re smart, it will become yours too. It’s its honesty that I like, what you see is what you get. None of that salad trickery that cafes try to palm you off with. You know what I mean, you order, it comes out all piled high on a fancy-arse plate. It looks like a work of art. You dig in, but past the few tasty looking morsels on top, its just leaves. That will be $93 thanks. Well no thanks wanky cafe. I’m going to lunch prep like a boss.
Sonoma Chicken Salad
Method
First you need to poach your chicken.
Put the chicken breasts into a saucepan so they fit snugly in one layer. Cover with water so the water level is about 1-2 centimetres above the chicken. Half cover pan with lid and place over a medium heat until water just reaches a simmer, then turn heat right down so only the occasional bubble comes to the surface. After 8 minutes, turn the heat off, cover pan fully with lid and leave to sit for another 12 minutes. Chicken should now be cooked through. Remove from water and set aside to cool down.
In the meantime, make the mayonnaise. Add all other dressing ingredients to 1/2 cup of the Paleo mayo and set aside.
Shred or chop the cooled chicken and add to a large bowl along with the grapes, celery, pecans and green onions.
Stir through the dressing making sure everything is coated.
Serve with a green salad, in lettuce cups or my Paleo Multi-Seed Bread for the win.
Serves 4.
Ingredients
- 500g chicken breast
- 1 cup seedless red grapes, halved
- 1.5 celery sticks, sliced fine
- 1/2 cup pecans, roughly chopped
- 2 green onions, final sliced
For the dressing…
- 1/2 cup Paleo mayonnaise (find recipe here)
- 4 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- 4 teaspoons honey
- 2 teaspoons dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste